Bladder Infections

a woman holding her bladder in pain

Bladder infections, also called "cystitis," are caused by bacteria. While most bacterial infections simply get washed out each time you urinate, the E. coli have little "Velcro-like sticky pads" on them that allow them to stick to the bladder wall — so they don't wash out.

Symptoms

Although bladder infections can occur without symptoms, more often they trigger:

  • an intense urge to urinate (urgency)
  • urinating frequently (even when there is little urine)
  • burning on urination (called dysuria)

Blood visible in the urine is less common, and warrants a trip to the doctor.

Diagnosis

Before beginning antibiotics, it is good to have the doctor get a urine sample to do a culture to test for bacteria.

Often in women with recurrent bladder symptoms (see Interstitial Cystitis) there is no infection, and the antibiotics simply make the problem worse in the long run.

In Women

  • Bladder infections are very common in females because the opening from the outside of the body to inside the bladder is very short.
    • This makes it easier for bacteria (usually the healthy E. coli which come from our rectum/stool) to get into the bladder.

In Men

  • In men, because the penis makes it a long trip for bacteria, bladder infections are uncommon unless there is a blockage.
    • This usually occurs from prostate problems in men over 60, or from kidney stones in younger men.
  • In a young man with urinary burning, prostatitis is more likely than a bladder infection.
  • If you wake with even a drop of discharge (before you urinate) on the tip of your penis, you also need to check for sexually transmitted infections (it may not be, but have it checked).

If you have the symptoms of urinary urgency and burning and the doctor can't figure out what it is, see Pelvic Pain, Males.

Treatment

Consider seeing your doctor for a urine culture immediately. If you have blood visible in the urine, a fever, or back pain with the infection, you must see the doctor immediately.

Natural Treatments

In addition, here are natural treatments you can do for bladder infections (if the symptoms are not resolving by 24 hours into treatment, see your practitioner).

  • General Diet Advice

    • Drink water

      Drink plenty of water to wash out the infection.

  • Recommended Supplements

    • D-Mannose

      If prone to bladder problems, this is a good supplement to keep in your medicine cabinet. It is a healthy sugar which is excreted in the urine.

      It coats the "Velcro-like sticky fingers" of the E. coli bacteria so that they can't stick to the bladder. Then the bacteria wash right out when you urinate!

      The dose is 1 teaspoon every 3 hours while awake till the infection is gone (use 12 dose in children 5 years old and younger and it is OK in pregnancy and diabetics).

      For Recurrent Infections

      To prevent recurrent bladder infections, take 12 to [1[ teaspoon 2 times a day (especially after sex).

      Higher dosing can be used if needed and it can safely be used long term. It has no effect on healthy bacteria, and therefore has none of the toxicity of antibiotics.

    • Vitamin C

      Add vitamin C 500 mg 2 to 6 times during the day.

Treating Recurrent Infections

  • Verify the Bacterial Infection

    Check repeat urine cultures to confirm the symptoms are actually from a bacterial infection.

  • Bathroom Habits

    The bacteria come from the anal area, so when you wipe after a bowel movement, wipe in a direction toward your back and away from the bladder. Otherwise, you're offering the bacteria a free ride to your bladder.

Contributor

Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, MD

Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D. is a board certified internist and author of the popular free iPhone application “Cures A-Z,” which was ranked in the top 10 of all health/wellness downloads on iTunes.

Dr. Teitelbaum is the author of the perennial bestseller From Fatigued to Fantastic! (Avery Penguin), which has sold over half a million copies; Pain Free 1-2-3 (McGraw-Hill); Three Steps to Happiness: Healing Through Joy (Deva Press); the Beat Sugar Addiction Now! series (Fair Winds Press);  Real Cause, Real Cure (Rodale Press); The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution (Penguin/Avery); and his latest, The Complete Guide to Beating Sugar Addiction (Fair Winds Press, 2015).

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